Pseudonyms/non de plumes/fake names

[Becky the Evil Flower]

How many of you guys use fake names? Why do you or why don't you use them? How did you choose yours? In general, what's up with your alias?

I use Inertia because I want privacy. Every name in my zine is an alias and some of them are more fitting than their actual name. For example, I call my tiny, passive, darling little sister Mouse.

[Dan C]

Sometimes. Privacy: there are some details I don't want everyone to be able to learn about me by searching the internet. I use variations on my real name.

[kit feral]

I use it most of the time. sometimes I forget and give out my personal email or sign something with my real name. It's not a huge deal, but I like to have my privacy to a degree. I don't want random people that I knew in high school goggling me and finding my stuff. though, anyone that knows me slightly would be able to recognize my zines... I talk about my cats too much and I don't use fake names for them, haha.
oh, and mine is a song title that just kind of stuck to me. I used it as my name on MSN messenger, and then people started calling me by it, and then it just kind of... chose me. ;)

[James N. Dawson]

Back in the old days when I was in an APA (Amatuer Press Association, Google it), I started out using a pseudonym, but gave it up at some point. I'm not sure exactly what the main reason was, but it may have been when several members started aggressively trying to find out who a certain member was, that is, his real name. I thought, if somebody wants to, they can keep chipping away at it and find out.

I used a pseudonym on a few hypochondriac forums, but eventually dropped that, one reason being that it showed up right alongside my e-mail address, which had my real name in it. I didn't know how to hide it, though I tried. I'm not clever enough with the computers to keep on top of these things. Also, too many names, along with too many passwords, is too much for my old brain to juggle. One name, one password. That's all I want or need, even though, just through chance, I've accumulated more passwords than I want. (Yes, yes, I know, you can change them, but that's another chore I tend to procrastinate on. The Internet can be so much work.)

I don't want to be down on pseudonyms and hope I'm not stepping on toes, but back in the pre-Internet days, most people used their real names, and even when they didn't, they mostly used first and last "plausible" names (albeit a little quirky), first letter capitalized. I find the quirky or self-deprecating, usually uncapitalized "alpha-numeric-string" names somewhat depersonalizing, and the Net seems full of "presences" I have a harder time seeing as people. The use of "avatars" also contributes to this effect for me. Again, this may just be a personal quirk, and part of my generation's zine culture.

I keep most personal things to myself, just like I did in the old days, so I don't really worry about putting my real name out there. I sometimes Google my name, just to see what's out there. (Yes, I've got an ego.) I want to connect, network and share ideas.

None of this of course is to put anyone down for using pseudonyms and being more concerned about privacy than I am. Just a personal perspective.

[ManDuh]

I guess ManDuh could be considered an alias, but I just think of it as a variation on my actual name. When I was in middle school, I was in chorus with 200+ other students. It seemed like every other girl in the chorus was named Amanda. It was very confusing to know when someone was talking to me or not, so I adopted Manda.

Also, like probably every other person named Amanda, when I was younger I can't remember how many times I was told, "'Cause you're A-MAN, DUH!"

So about a year or more ago when I started blogging, I just kinda put the two together. It's not really about privacy for me, as much as integrating the name my parents gave me before they knew who I was with the person that I am now.

[Sophie Bee!]

I use Sophie Bee because it's a lot cuter than my real last name, which is Mann, lol. One of my favourite teachers used to call me Sophie Bee and it just sounded super cute to me. And fits my personality in a way.

[rieka]

there is a similar thread here if you're keen (:
http://wemakezines.ning.com/forum/topics/why-your-zine-title-why-your

[Saling Pusa Distro/closed]

Part privacy; part cowardice(?). Zines are personal even if it isn't a perzine, it's still a lot more personal than most other published works and/or writings. So, putting my name into the zine just feels terribly scary. It's like letting people you don't into your head and letting them see, hear, feel your very thoughts.

[Don Lee]

I just started writing a series of Bukowski-esque crime stories with lots of sex, drugs, and totally foul language. I am having a wonderful time. However, I also write for the website at a private religious university, and I would rather the two world not collide, so I write my fiction as "Rusty Shackleford." Fans of "King of the Hill" will recognize the reference.

[Lisa W / Sometimes I'm Dreaming]

I use my real first name and the initial of my last name. I think that gives me just enough privacy. For some reason, I just wouldn't feel comfortable using a pseudonym... while my zine is quite personal, there are very few people who I would actively wish to keep from finding out about it, and many people who read it are already friends or acquaintances of mine. I do make sure to remain vague when referring to others in my writing, though.

I suppose I feel like I want the effort I have put into my zines attributed to the "real" me, rather than to a persona. That being said, I can definitely understand the reasons why some would choose not to use thier own name. It should just be about what you personally feel most comfortable with.

[Harley R. Pageot]

I use my full real name and full address. I have nothing to hide.

When I'm writing about other people I usually just use their first name. There's a lot of people named Jennifer and Stephanie so I'm not really destroying their privacy.

[Becky the Evil Flower]

When you put it like that it sounds like I'm trying to hide some dirty secret. If people knew who I was it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Harley R. Pageot said:

I use my full real name and full address. I have nothing to hide.

When I'm writing about other people I usually just use their first name. There's a lot of people named Jennifer and Stephanie so I'm not really destroying their privacy.

[ManDuh]

Everyone has dirty secrets they're trying to hide :)

Inertia said:

When you put it like that it sounds like I'm trying to hide some dirty secret. If people knew who I was it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Harley R. Pageot said:

I use my full real name and full address. I have nothing to hide.

When I'm writing about other people I usually just use their first name. There's a lot of people named Jennifer and Stephanie so I'm not really destroying their privacy.